Book Review | The Sun Is Also a Star

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synopsis.

Natasha: I’m a girl who believes in science and facts. Not fate. Not destiny. Or dreams that will never come true. I’m definitely not the kind of girl who meets a cute boy on a crowded New York City street and falls in love with him. Not when my family is twelve hours away from being deported to Jamaica. Falling in love with him won’t be my story.

Daniel: I’ve always been the good son, the good student, living up to my parents’ high expectations. Never the poet. Or the dreamer. But when I see her, I forget about all that. Something about Natasha makes me think that fate has something much more extraordinary in store—for both of us.

The Universe: Every moment in our lives has brought us to this single moment. A million futures lie before us. Which one will come true?

A young adult contemporary novel, it is beautifully written and depicts one day in the life of our two main characters, Natasha and Daniel. Natasha’s family is about to be deported back to Jamaica, while Daniel is chasing his parent’s dream of attending Yale and becoming a doctor. Both characters were believable and relatable; their relationships with their families and the way they interact with a world that judges them based on appearances were poignant.

Nicola Yoon’s writing style was wonderful to read - it’s easy and quick to read, with short chapters that jump between different points of view (and not just from the main characters, but also family members and side characters whom we only meet once or twice) gave a deeper insight into the characters and the world going on around them.

It is a love story, but it’s more than that. There’s a sense of hope in the face of hopelessness and the need to live in the moment and trust that everything happens for a reason. I loved the contrast between Natasha and Daniel’s characters - Natasha being a very practical, science-based individual and Daniel who is the dreamer - and the way their decisions directly impact on each other and the people around them.

There is a huge range of diversity in this book - Natasha and her family are Jamaican, Daniel’s parents are Korean and their family heritages play a huge part in shaping their self-identify while also shaping the identities that others form about them.

Once I started reading The Sun Is Also a Star I couldn’t put it down. I gave it 5 out of 5 stars. The Sun Is Also a Star will be released on November 3rd, 2016.

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Welcome to The Noveltea Corner.I'm Stef - I'm a book reading, tea drinking, planner loving, Project Life documenting fan. This blog is a place where I want to share all the things I love with you you! I live in Melbourne, Australia and am a teacher by day and crafter by night (and weekend).